Getting Desperate for help, please help me smart guys!

[Gardamun]

I'm having a problem that is very hard to narrow down. My computer randomly shuts off, at first it happened only while into a game for 20 min. to 1 hour, but it's happened just in windows as well (though I can leave the computer on all night doing nothing no problem.

I've ruled out video card over heating.

My system is:
AMD PHENOM II X6 1090T
Asus M5A88-V EvO - motherboard
8 gigs kingston ram
Sapphire AMD Radeon 6770 5DDR 1 Gig card
Coolermaster extreme power plus 550W

After a lot of benchmark tests that proved inconclusive, I swapped out the PSU for an identical one (unfortunately the only one available to me). Same issue persisted.

So I thought it was the video card, so I put an old video card in, ASUS EAH 4850. I played swtor for about 40 minutes then it shut down, not overheated.

So is this PSU just bad all around and should I test with a brand new one? Or could it be the motherboard or CPU?

I ran a mem test and that was fine. What other tests could I do to diagnose?

Thank you in advance

 

[amuffin]

Lose cables? Also what are the temps ?

 

[davcon]

Yep i wouldn't recommend that unit.
It's a low end unit that doesn't deliver it's labelled output = only a 500W at best.
Inefficient(under 80%)= little red switch.
Could very well be the psu overheating imo.
You can do alot better.
That unit is really outdated compared to what's available now.

 

[kajabla]

Still, the persistence of the issue with another PSU would seem to rule it out.
To go simple, how are your cables? Is your wall socket solid, and everything between it and the PSU as well? Unplug and reconnect everything.
Check CPU temps as well.
Can you put up a pic of your case/ventilation setup?

 

[keha12]

Do you get a blue screen when it shuts down?

Id lean on heat, PSU, and ram. As the culprit.

Then listen closely to your case. If its making a funny noise. Thats more than likely a fan failing.
Id think even 500watts would be enough for your rig.
But you can try this. Try putting your most demanding components on a different rail. Like dont piggy back everything on one wire. Use more wires, instead of adapters to give more hookups.

Then regardless of your mem test. I dont know which one you used. Id swap the ram to different slots, if available. If more than 1 stick. Id swap which one goes first.
But usually bad ram, will produce a blue screen, with memory dump. Then shut off.
Heat sometimes produces a blue screen as well. But normally just shuts down, or melts.

 

[davcon]

Still, the persistence of the issue with another PSU would seem to rule it out.
To go simple, how are your cables? Is your wall socket solid, and everything between it and the PSU as well? Unplug and reconnect everything.
Check CPU temps as well.
Can you put up a pic of your case/ventilation setup?

Good point kajabla i think i'll go to bed lol!

 

[Gardamun]

Thanks for the good sugggestions and help guys. I'm testing out a theory today. Last night I played SWTOR for 2 hours without any problems and on an old video card that heats up like crazy (70C - 80C) and no shut down. I had been using an external fan placed beside my computer to help with venting, because I originally thought the video card was overheating. All I did differently last night was move the fan as close as possible to my open computer and I was able to play longer.

So it could be an overheating issue but it doesn't seem to be the GPU or CPU. The PCI-E slot I was using is directly below my North Bridge (NB). I wonder if the heat coming off of it was heating up the NB because it has a thermal protection in BIOS and performs an automatic shut down at a certain level. So I"m wondering if my fan being closer was actually cooling it down?

Anyway, today I moved my video card to the lower PCI-E slot and will leave SWTOR running hopefully all day.

Thanks guys.

 

[amuffin]

Thanks for the good sugggestions and help guys. I'm testing out a theory today. Last night I played SWTOR for 2 hours without any problems and on an old video card that heats up like crazy (70C - 80C) and no shut down. I had been using an external fan placed beside my computer to help with venting, because I originally thought the video card was overheating. All I did differently last night was move the fan as close as possible to my open computer and I was able to play longer.

So it could be an overheating issue but it doesn't seem to be the GPU or CPU. The PCI-E slot I was using is directly below my North Bridge (NB). I wonder if the heat coming off of it was heating up the NB because it has a thermal protection in BIOS and performs an automatic shut down at a certain level. So I"m wondering if my fan being closer was actually cooling it down?

Anyway, today I moved my video card to the lower PCI-E slot and will leave SWTOR running hopefully all day.

Thanks guys.

Open one side of your case and keep it open while you game.

 

[davcon]

Thanks for the good sugggestions and help guys. I'm testing out a theory today. Last night I played SWTOR for 2 hours without any problems and on an old video card that heats up like crazy (70C - 80C) and no shut down. I had been using an external fan placed beside my computer to help with venting, because I originally thought the video card was overheating. All I did differently last night was move the fan as close as possible to my open computer and I was able to play longer.

So it could be an overheating issue but it doesn't seem to be the GPU or CPU. The PCI-E slot I was using is directly below my North Bridge (NB). I wonder if the heat coming off of it was heating up the NB because it has a thermal protection in BIOS and performs an automatic shut down at a certain level. So I"m wondering if my fan being closer was actually cooling it down?

Anyway, today I moved my video card to the lower PCI-E slot and will leave SWTOR running hopefully all day.

Thanks guys.

What case are you using and how many fans does it have?

 

[Gardamun]

HI Guys, thanks a lot for all your help. So after spinning my wheels and trying almost everything I could think of and you all suggested, I realized "this isn't worth it, I just spent 800$ and this crap should work" so I stopped spinning my wheels and returned all the parts I bought because it was still in the 14 day window after purchase. New computer works like it should, I betrayed AMD and went for an i7 quad core. I'm quite happy hehe. Thanks.

 

[kajabla]

You got a 2600K? WHY
That's just a waste of ~$90 if you're not doing serious productivity/media work. The 2500K's an excellent value and performs just about equivalently in gaming.